PEACE Ranch of Grand Traverse County
(A division of Paraklesis Inc., a 501c3 nonprofit)

 

 

 

 

 

TYPE OF GRANT
Capital Campaign Feasibility Grant

AWARDED
Fall 2010 – $5,000 grant

TOTAL LEVERAGE
Jackie Kashel is co-founder and executive director of PEACE Ranch (www.peaceranchtc.com), a faith based equine (horse) therapy center.  Rescue and abandoned horses are rehabilitated, and then used in relationship based training programs for people with psychological, emotional and physical challenges.  Jackie attributes the Charities’ funded feasibility grant and subsequent mentoring by NorthSky consultant Lyn Jenks, with a step-by-step educative process resulting in:

• A broader support base
• Community education/recognition
• Interest by a growing group of young people
• Establishment of orientation and training programs
• Development of a building project
• Collaboration with other organizations
• Award of a grant from the Biederman Foundation
• Development of a volunteer board
• Matching $20,000 grant from the Utopia Foundation to build a $100,000 covered building
• A view of the future that includes becoming a community organization with greater capacity to serve the region’s schools, courts and human services organizations.  Part of this vision is a proposed property expansion to establish a short-term residential capacity, allowing PEACE Ranch to reconnect children and families.

SUMMARY
With a growing corps of volunteers, regional recognition, 11 horses and three Alpacas, and a budding building campaign, Jackie Kashel is a long way from her initial meeting with NorthSky over a year ago.

COMMUNITY NEED
An essential part of the feasibility study conducted by NorthSky was to identify a potential list of the area’s thought leaders and donors,  From that, 33 influentials expressed interest in the unique equine therapy program proposed by Jackie.

“There were plenty of questions, some of them very tough.  But it caused me to really think about what I wanted to do.  The experience greatly broadened my perspective and made me keenly aware of the need to generate recognition for PEACE Ranch.”  The first annual animal therapy day, featuring demos about how and why animals are key to connecting with people, was a huge success…just one of the results of the NorthSky consult.

 

Jackie Kashel, Co-founder/Executive Director of the PEACE Ranch

 

 

 

 

 

“What I see….”

“NorthSky greatly helped us in the development of our vision:  to become a community organization, serving all people.  Collaboration with other organizations is a big part of that.”

“The education that came with the feasibility study and implementation was really significant.  For me, it was a huge confidence builder.  And the response we received from people interested in helping us was so supportive.”